"The Russian Direct Investment Fund - Limited Liability Company 'Human Vaccine' gave its endorsement to the Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador for the shipment [of the requested vaccines] ... so it is expected to finalize the signing of an additional agreement ... in order to initiate the corresponding regulatory and logistical coordination," the ministry said on Thursday.
The agreement is expected to be signed during the third week of May.
The Foreign Ministry of Ecuador also expressed appreciation for the efforts made by President-Elect Guillermo Lasso to secure a vaccine deal between Ecuador and Russia.
The engagement of the Ecuadorian Ministry of Public Health with the RDIF began last year. The government of incumbent Lenin Moreno expressed Ecuador's interest in acquiring the Sputnik V vaccine at the beginning of 2021. Several meetings have since been held with different Russian organizations, including the Gamaleya research institute, which developed the vaccine.
